Transposing tracker bar



R. HEAD TRANSPOSING TRACKER BAR original Fil'ed'June 5. 1916 Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED sTArnsgPArEzNr oFFiciz.

noBER'rHEAD, or YoNxnns, NEWVYQRK,t AssIGNon' 'rol THE' AEOLIAN coivrriiiw,` A,

conPonArIoN- ory coNNEc'rrcUr;

TRACKER BAR.

Application led June 5, 1920, Serial Ni'o. 386,897. Renewed May 1, 1922. Serial No. 557,784.

. To oZZK'w/zomyaft may concern:

Beit known I(hat l, Ronnn'r HEADfya citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of, Yonkers, State. of. New fYork,

have invented certain new and useful .Ini-L proven'ients in Transposing vTracker Bars, of

will be accomplished without aiectingithe automaticy controls for the pedals, expression;

and the like. f

(.)ne .of the special` features of the in,-

by which this slidable note duct Lsection can be readily shifted with respect to tlie.anto matic controls on the stationary part of the.y

tracker board. y

V :ii-mus other features `of vthe invention will appear as the specification proceeds. i

In the drawing.accompanying and form.`

ing apart of this specificationpl have illustrated the. invention embodied infone ofl rits simple, practical forms but Wish .it un ilerstood that the saine iiiay .be vmodifiedfzinl various respects without departure from' the true kspirit and scope of. the invention as.r

herein defined and claimed.

Figure l in the drawing referred to is a front or face viewof a tracker board havporatod therein, the middle orinterinediat portion of the tracker board beingr indicated as broken away.

F gure Q is an edge and longitudinal seo-i tionalyiew ofi-thek tracker board as takenv Figure i is a sectional view across the middle portion of the tracker board as on substantially the plane vof line 4--4 of Figure 1.

rThe tracker im .wafers immehemun me` the features of the invention ineor -Y tracker bar mainly in ther fact that it is ronlstructed` with i a .longitudinally lextendingi slot 6 intthe intermediate oi' note controlling section thereof, in which is seated a movable note ,duct slide 7.

Thisfislide carries a complete set of note ductsistanding in the plane of the tracking surface and is shown as supported by means of ribs or flanges 9 at-.the backy thereof,f..workingin corresponding inorftiseslO .provided at the edges of the re- .ceiving slot, the slidebeing thus coniined in l* or guide closed', the slide is constructed at vitsop-` posits .endsswith i, extensions y1:2 of reducedy v width and .the slotis similarly formed `with fr extensions 13 at its opposite `ends of reV f J-the amount of cutting away of the tracker bar, assists in the proper guiding of the slide and also provides a supporting'portion on the tracker. bar adjacentthe reducedfslot extensions for the stationary control ducts 14. These durts in this particular illnstrationparey for dynamic control and fourof thennare shown provided at cach end of the guide slot in position directly aboveii'hc reduced extensions oil the `guide slot.

k*The tracker bai' is usually provided with other relatively stationary coiitrolducts. in this particular ilhiistration there are two relatively fixed: ducts 15 .fat fthe left hand' end of the tracker and a third at the right hand end of the tracker for the so-called anto- VAmatic rewind and pedal controls? and there are also i provided two 1v'l`heniodist. or expression control ducts 16:

The note duet slide is shifted vfor trans,

posing purposes by means` consisting in the illustration of the swinging handle lcieiff 17 projecting fthrough a lslot 1S in the face of thetracker bar at one end, beyond the tracking surfacethereof and pivoted at `'19 atfiits rearward-or inner end oii a supporting bracket'Qf) secured to the back of the tracker-bar. y

This lever is preferably so connected with the note duct slide that each operation of said leverfvvill 4 serve only to step the note duct .slide one-note .This -result-fisiacconi- 'so-called i plished in the illustration hy pivoting a douhlefeniflcd pafvl L'l ou tlu` lever at fz and hv ausiirel said pavvl. 1n the sxvinein-ff movement ol thc lever in opjosite direc ns. to he rocked so as to engage one or the other end lhereo't with the teeth ot a element. shown as a rack 225 cured to the hack ot the slide ai; hgylneztns et' a screw or screws 2l.

The means Vto: thus antoniaticall)Y rock4 in ej the ends ot the parvl into ene'agnmen".

vith the eear teeth consists n the closure etirelative.)Y stationary' aides or ahutn ents in the torni o the sprin ported on the bracket at G. at opp(r s ol" the swinging lever and arranger die:

Q'agc with their 't`;:r\\ard ends the Y "am surfaces 2?, 28 on the haci; or the douhe ii from the lett hand spring` and t k hand cani surface hearnmA riga. ist

i a .i right hand spring Q5 will canse tl paal to he rocked so as to carry the righ" and end thereo't' into engagement with the atjacent tooth of the rack.

The parts are so designed that the tall swinging movei'nent otl the lever either Ytf the right or to the lett Afrom tl:l intermediate position shown, will accempl a shitting ot' the note duct slide snflicient onlj,7 to transpose by a semi-tone. Tais prevents the slidebeine shifted suddenljvv throughout a range ot keys and also prevents the slide heine' lett at an intermed'ate point hetreen two dilt'erent keys. )it the same time. it is an easy' matter to shil'l the tl'ansikioling slide step-l \,'step through the c: range ot keys. hv repeatedl \y reciprm'atlug the swinging` operatincv handle to the lei't trom its middle position shown in Fin'. or vice versa h V repeated reciprocationsl olt the handle to the right Vtrom its said middle position.

3l is a stationaryv pin projecting' 'troni the supporting' hracket 2l) through a slot 92 in the hand-lever li. rihe lenn'th ot this slot. there lore. determines the throw in either di rection ol` the handlevcr and coaseinienllv determines the distance to which (he notcduct slide is shiit'ted h'v each rcciprocatirm et the hand-lever.

rlhe hand-lever is normallv returned to its intermediate or neutral position h v a. returning' springr 29 shown as supporter` on the lever pivot li) and as havin;r liorvvardly extending springy arms 3S). extending to opposite sides ol and hearing' on the pawl pivot-pin 22. This spring, it v-rill heevidentn tends to centralize the hand-lever wherein it is assisted by the aforesaid stationary pin 3l projecting through the slot 32 in the lever and standing' in hetn' en the two sllninley arms Ill).

The invention is extremely practical tor the purpose ii 'iiransposinc' meansl player-piano is primar'l)Y usel'ul in rolls in order to raise or lower the musy cal keg.v to suit the sineeus voice. ln playin;v other rolls. such. tor instance`r as artist-played rolls havingl side pertoraA tions emhoilhvinrcy the dynamics with which the composition .vas rendered, the nolealuct har will he adjusted into the ceut'alizcd ornrzl position in l so that none ot 1e note-ducts ot the slide is in line with 'ie dyn-unies control ducts ll.

nv .vell-linon'n means (not shown) \vill or.. im ilnelniral.

he provided to render the dynamics ducts` lvl; operative or inope'ative. degending respectively upon whethe' an aforesaid artist rol is to he played without transposition; or a sone-roll .vita transposition.

`llhat l claim is:

1.111 transposing mechanism tor automatic players, a tracker having' a longiti'dinal slot and a lxed control duct adjacent the end ot the same and a slide bar lone-itndhially shiltahle in said slot and provided with note ducts.

il. ln transposine mechanism tor automatic players, a tracker har provided with a longitudinal slot having extensions ol re,

duced width at opposite ends ot the same, a har slidahly fitting in said slot and provided at opposite ends ot the saine with profecting tongues oit reduced Width slidahly vwlttine' in the reduced end extensions of the s ot and nete ducts in said slidalile har.

3.111 transposine` mechanism tor auto matic llayers. a tracker liar provided with a ouaitudinal slot havingr extensions olreduced xviolh at opposite endsl ot the same. a har siidahlv tilting; in said slot and provided al opposite ends ot' the same with proY .',iecting tongues or" reduced width slidalilv littine in the reduced end extensions ol' the slot` note duets in said slidahle har and relatively stationarv control duets in the tracker har aifljacent the reduced end extensions oil the slot.

-`l-. In automatic players, a tracker har. a slide movahlv mounted in said tracker har and provided with ducts. the, tracker har haring a slot therein al one side ol: the note-sheet path and a handle operativel)Y connected with the slide extendingr through said slot. i

5. ln automatic plarvers. a tracker harga slide movahlv mounted in said tracker har and provided with ducts. the tracker har having a slot therein at one side ol thenotefsheet path and a handle extending through said slot. and having a paul and rackconncction with the slide lfor operatin;` the slide with a stepped movement.

6. In an automatic player, a tracker bar lltl having a movable section,a shifting handle therefor and a rpaw'land rack coi'inection1| be,H tween said handle and movable section. n,

Teiln anv automaticplayer,a tracker bar having a ,movable sectienl provided with a rack, an operating handle having vva pawl for engagement with ythe teethfof saidk miek,- Said pawll being pivoted -intermediate Lits I ends and means for automatically engaging one or the otherlfofsaiel ends with the rack as the handle is shifted in opposite directions.

8. ln an automatic player, a tracker bar having a. movable section provided with a rack, an operating handle, a double-ended pawl carried by the liandle, means for automatically returning the handle to a neutral position and means for carrying 'one or the other of the ends of the pawl into engagement with the rack as the handle is shifted in opposite directions.

9. In an automatic player, a tracker bar having a movable section provided with a rack, an operatingr handle, a double-ended pawl carried by the handle, means for automatically returning the handle to a neutral position, means for carrying one or the other of the ends of the pawl into engagement with the rack as the handle is shifted in opposite directions, and means for limiting the throw of the handle in both directions. y

'10. In an automatic player, a tracker bar having a movable section provided with a rack, an operating handle, a double-ended pawl carried by said handle, a pin on said handle, a centralizing spring havingropposed spring arms engaging said pin, a center stop between said spring arms, and relatively stationary springs engaged by the ends ot' the pawl as the handle is shifted in opposite directions.

l1. ln an automatic player, a tracker bar havingr a, movable section provided with a rack, an operating handle, a double-ended pawl carried by said handle, and relatively statioiniry springs engaged by the ends of the pawl as the handle is operated in opposite directions to carry same into engagement with the rack, said pawl having inclined cam shoulders engaged by said springs.

'12. ln an automatic player, a tracker bar having a movable section, a supporting bracket at the back of said tracker bar, a shitting handle t'or said movable section pivoted on said bracket, a double-ended pawl carried by said handle, a gear-toothed element connected with the movable section of the tracker and adapted to be operatively engaged. by the pawl, means for carrying one end or the other ofthe pawl into engagement with the gear-toothed element as y the handle is shifted in opposite directions and means for automatically returning the handle to ameutral position.

11.3. Shifting means for trackerY mechanism comprising, anioperating handle, a doubleN ended pawl,carriedaby said` handle, a pin carried ,byithe handle, a centralizing;spring having A,(p'posed spring arms engaging said pan, relatively stationary springs jarranged to bealglcm oppositeends of the ,double-ended paevl and a'l geartoothed element ,arranged to.be-yoperativelyengaged by ,-theends of Seidvpawl. f l l i f i.

14. In transposing mechanism for automatic players, an operating handle, a double ended pawl -mounted on said handle, a gear element engageable by said pawl and connected with the shit'table section of the transposing mechanism and relatively sta* tionary means engageable by the pawl in the movement of the handle in opposite directions to throw the opposite ends of the pawl into engagement with the gear element.

15. In transposing mechanism for automatic players, a tracker bar having a iXed control duct, a shiftable member having note ducts, and means for shifting said member step by step to eect transposition.

16. In transposing mechanism, a tracker comprising an endwise shiftable note-duct section, a relatively stationary control-duct in the path of the endwise travel oit` said note-duct section but separated therefrom by a space when said note-duct section is in its normal non-transposing position, and other relatively stationary control-ducts eX- tending along the side of said space to one side of the path of the note-duct section whereby said last named control-ducts will be above or below said space when the tracker is horizontal.

17. In transposing mechanism, a tracker comprising an endwise shiftable note-duct section. a relatively stationary control-duct separated by a. space from the end of the notcduct section when the latter is in its normal non-transposing position, and other relatively stationary control-ducts extending along the side of saidk space to one side ol the path oii the note-duct section whereby said last named control-ducts will be above or below said space when the tracker is horizontal.

18. In transposing mechanism, a tracker comprising an endwise shiftable note-duct section, a relatively stationary control-duct separated by a space Yfrom the end of the` note-duct section when the latter is in its normal non-transposing position, and other relatively stationary control-ducts extend ing along the side of said space to one side of the path of the note-duct section whereby nally shi'l'tahle; relativel)T stationary control duets supported te one side of the path of the said slide so that the end note duets in said slide can be brought into and out 5 of' transverse juxtaposition With said eentrol duets.

20. ln transposingr mechanism for automatic players, a. slide provided with note duets and supported so as to he longitudi- 10 nail)v shiftable; relatively stationary Control duets supported to one side of the path ot said slide so that the end note duets in said slide can he brought into and out of transverse juxtaposition with said control duets; and means for rendering inoperative said 15 control duets. l

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of May, 1920.

ROBERT HEAD. 

